Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo [Yonhap]
Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo [Yonhap]

Hong Joon-pyo, the former Daegu mayor who has been unemployed since leaving politics, said he is resuming his legal career.

Hong said Friday on his Facebook page that he was returning to legal practice. "Starting today, I am working as a lawyer again," he wrote. "I had been unemployed all this time, but I have re-registered as a lawyer and am beginning work."

He added that he would not be opening a separate office, instead registering his residence as his place of business. "I plan to avoid litigation work as much as possible and will only take on consultations," he said.

Hong had first signaled the move on Aug. 25, when he said he intended to re-register as a lawyer.

At the time, he said the registration was necessary even if he did not engage in courtroom advocacy. "I need to re-register as a lawyer, if only to guard against the kind of police overreach that may unfold going forward," he said.

Hong also recalled an earlier precedent. "When President Lee Myung-bak was incarcerated, I re-registered as a lawyer and went to visit him," he said, adding that he had since kept his license on inactive status.

Hong retired from politics after losing the People Power Party presidential primary last April and subsequently submitted his resignation from the party.


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